Caleb Kwaku Afaglo of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), being held over alleged forgery of some academic credentials, has entered plea bargaining with the state.
Afaglo, a former General Manager of Management of Information Systems (MIS), SSNIT, through his counsel told the High Court to grant them adjournment to explore the possibility of reaching an agreement.
Mr Bernard Shaw Counsel for Afaglo, said, “We have advised our client to explore avenues open to him in his defence. In furtherance of that the defence have commenced plea bargaining negotiations with the Attorney General.
In the light of that we are formally notifying this Court that course of action and grant us 30 days within which to conclude negotiations.”
Nana Ama Adinkra, Senior State Attorney, confirmed to the Court that the state had received a letter of intent to enter plea bargaining with the state.
The Senior State Attorney prayed the Court to grant the accused an adjournment not exceeding 30 days within which they would have explored the possibility of reaching an agreement.
The Trial Judge, Justice Henry Kwofie, Justice of the Supreme Court, sitting with additional responsibilities as a High Court Judge, after hearing both prosecution and defence and in the light of the plea bargaining, granted an adjournment.
It adjourned the matter to May 8, 2025.
Afaglo is facing charges of defrauding by false pretences, possession of forged documents and uttering forged documents in the SSNIT OBS Case.
Meanwhile, the Court has discharged Ernest Thompson, Ex-SSNIT Boss, John Hagan Mensah, Information Technology Infrastructure Manager of SSNIT and Peter Hayibor, Counsel for SSNIT, who were among others held for causing financial loss to the State.
They were discharged after the Attorney General entered and filed a Nolle Prosequi.
The Nolle Prosequi was filed on February 7, 2025, and three of the accused persons were February 20, 2025, discharged by the Court.
The accused persons in the matter were billed to open their defence before the Nolle Prosequi was filed.
GNA
